"Detective, now that the incident caused by the Poet Grade relic has been resolved, and I've helped you with the trouble of the previous Detective's death, let's return to our original topic."
The blue-eyed doctor on the single sofa looked at Xia De:
"What are your thoughts on Saint Byron's Comprehensive College now?
Since Ring術士 only have 72 hours to awaken, the Orthodox Church and the Three Great Academies primarily recruit from their core believers and affiliated industries, which also makes observation more convenient. However, both sides don't mind recruiting fresh blood completely unrelated to their own forces, but their cultivation methods differ from those of trustworthy talented individuals."
"Then, could you give an example of the treatment we, ordinary people originally unrelated to the mysterious, receive after joining the Church or an Academy?"
Xia De pondered, chewing on the meaning of the words, feeling that it was reasonable not to be fully trusted.
"Certainly. For the Orthodox Church, Ring術士 who are not devout believers are not allowed to leave their diocese within ten years of successful employment, and their access to Church support will also be restricted. It will take at least 20 years to be fully trusted.
As for the Three Great Academies, the conditions are more complex. We use a Letter-based method to cultivate talented individuals who were not originally part of the mysterious world.
All Outsider students receive Letter-based instruction and cannot directly contact the Academy itself, let alone enter it. Based on region, Letter-based Ring術士 are divided into different groups, each with 3 to 7 people. When a group has at least one Hexacle, one PentaCircle, and one Four Ring, and meets the condition of having more than 5 people, the entire group can pass the test and truly enter the Academy. It must be the entire group; no one can be abandoned. This ensures that the entire group supervises and guarantees each other."
The doctor explained, which made Xia De raise an eyebrow:
"If I join Saint Byron's Comprehensive College..."
Doctor Schneider nodded, confirming Xia De's guess. He pointed to himself:
"Then my group will once again have five Ring術士. Currently, we have four people, and specific information about the others is not convenient to disclose before you join. But I promise that the official entrance exam will only be conducted after you reach Three-Ring. After all, we are still far from meeting the other conditions."
That's why Bill Schneider was so enthusiastic about guiding Xia De to join the Academy. "Wild" talented individuals are truly hard to find, probably only slightly less difficult than finding a needle in a haystack.
Seeing Xia De still deep in thought, the doctor added:
"Mr. Hamilton, I am very satisfied with you—your background, your origin, and your attitude towards the mysterious. A few hours ago, when we saw that tragic scene together, your reluctance and feigned composure were quite good. Please carefully consider my proposal; the conditions here are very good."
"I don't understand why the Orthodox Church and the Academies are so... wary of people like us?"
Xia De still hesitated; an Outsider finds it difficult to trust others easily in the early stages of entering this world.
"You haven't become a Ring術士 yet, so you don't know how dangerous this world is. The world is like a mad ocean, and the world of normal people is just a small island. Ring術士 can delve into that deep sea, gaining more, and thus are more prone to madness, more easily twisted by whispers from evil things and malice from nature. Even if we have 'another self' to resist those distortions and oddities together, a Ring術士 who hasn't been cultivated from a young age is more likely to make a wrong step and lose control completely, which would be a terrifying thing."
The doctor explained simply, seemingly not daring to be too clear. Xia De, however, felt that perhaps the worldview of this world not only included steam and mysticism but also rules of agnosticism or Cthulhu culture.
"Then, is it possible to naturally become a Ring術士 without guidance and cultivation?"
Xia De asked again.
"Absolutely impossible. You don't understand what a Ring術士 is. As we mentioned this morning, within 72 hours of a Ring術士's talent awakening, if not guided, many situations can arise. Most cases result in madness, a small number in death, and a tiny probability results in becoming strange things—monsters piled with flesh, madly howling spirits. They are probably the kind of terrifying existences that would give you nightmares just by looking at them."
Hearing the doctor's words, Xia De fully understood the current situation. He sat up straight and summarized:
"My time is running out. I must make a choice quickly. And, if I don't agree to join Saint Byron's Comprehensive College, then you will absolutely not let me leave with today's memories."
Xia De looked at the doctor, and the blue-eyed doctor nodded cautiously:
"I introduced it from the beginning: students of the Three Great Academies conceal their identities in areas where the Orthodox Church exists. Yes, if you refuse, I will use some inconvenient-to-mention methods to erase your memories. I am skilled in manipulating emotions and dreams, so I am also skilled in altering memories. Of course, this is because you are just an ordinary person; it's not so easy for a Ring術士."
Xia De did not interpret the doctor's words as a threat; these methods were for self-preservation. Xia De understood that no one should accommodate him.
"If today's memories are erased, I also won't know about the 72-hour limit..."
He analyzed further.
"Yes, I think Tobesk City Mental Sanatorium might have a new guest. But don't worry, in all mental sanatoriums in Tobesk City, I have staff I'm familiar with... I'm just kidding, Detective, we can relax a bit."
The doctor commented cautiously:
"I won't force you to choose to join Saint Byron's Comprehensive College, but as adults, we all must pay the price for our choices. Moreover, compared to the Church, becoming a Letter-based Ring術士 is actually more free. If an ordinary person like you, who is not a believer, enters the Church's cultivation system, they will certainly receive the Church's care, but they will also be unable to act freely.
However, Letter-based Ring術士 are different. As long as they pass exams each semester, earn enough mandatory credits, complete practical content, earn enough practical credits, and don't do things like murder or arson, the Academy doesn't care what we do.
Now, do you understand the difference between Academy-faction Ring術士 and Church Ring術士?"
"I understand."
Xia De nodded. Just listening to the doctor's explanation, the Academy indeed seemed to have more advantages.
"The Three Great Arcane Academies are Saint Byron's Comprehensive College, proficient in relic containment and utilization; Zaras Academy, proficient in Miracles involving the development of elemental Ling Runes, which is the use of magic in stories; and Serex Higher Medical College, they know everything, but are especially skilled in alchemy.
Mr. Hamilton, this is not only my opportunity but also yours. To be able to enter the Ring術士 cultivation system through legitimate channels, rather than through cult organizations and secret societies, do you know what a rare opportunity this is?"
The doctor spoke again; his profession made him very good at persuading others.
Hesitant, Xia De nodded again. Although the original owner's brain was probably not very useful, he was an Outsider to this world, and even though he was only in his twenties, he had his own judgment:
"Then, how will you prove that everything you've said so far is true? So far, all the information I've received has come from you."
Xia De asked seriously.
Although he was questioning the doctor, Doctor Schneider was actually very pleased, as this meant the young man in front of him was tempted.
"I can apply to the Academy for that Poet Grade (Level 5) relic to prove my words. But once I do that, the Academy will know that I have discovered a brand new talented individual. The Academy will not force you to enroll, but they will definitely record your identity information. So, do you want to come into contact with the Poet Grade relic, 【Saint Byron's Comprehensive College's Dream】?"
"Can I... think about it? Give me two hours? No, an hour. I want to carefully consider what happened today."
The amount of information was too great; Xia De couldn't make a decision immediately. But he was inclined to trust the doctor, which was why he asked for some time to think.
"No problem. After all, for an ordinary person, this information is simply too much. You can think here, or you can leave. I also have some small matters to attend to, so we..."
The doctor looked at the grandfather clock in the corner of the room. The pendulum's lower end inside the glass display was a heart-shaped metal component:
"Meet here at two in the afternoon."
"No problem, I'll just stay here."
Xia De said. It didn't matter where he thought. If the doctor wanted to harm him, he wouldn't have waited until now; the sanatorium just now would have been a very good place to kill someone.
"If you stay here, there are some Academy recruitment materials that aren't convenient to take outside. You can take a look. I'll be back after I finish my matters. If you need anything, you can ask Mrs. Karla for help."
Mrs. Karla was the middle-aged maid who had served tea earlier.